Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

Steven Doerr, MD

Steven Doerr, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Doerr received his undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with his Medical Degree from the University Of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado in 1998 and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine from Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, Colorado in 2002, where he also served as Chief Resident.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
facts

Close to 2,000 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are reported in
the United States each year.

RMSF is a potentially serious tick-borne disease that can cause fatalities,
and it is the most common cause of fatal tick-borne diseases in the United
States.

The incident of RMSF has increased from less than two cases per million people
in the year 2000, to over six cases per million people in 2010.

Although RMSF cases have been reported throughout the United States, the
highest incidence of cases in 2010 were in Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

RMSF is treatable with antibiotics, but it can have serious long-term effects
and lead to death if not treated quickly and properly.

What is Rocky Mountain spotted fever?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne disease caused by the
bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. This illness, which is found in North, Central,
and South America, is transmitted via the bite of an infected tick. The illness
affects the lining of blood vessels (causing a condition termed vasculitis),
causing the blood vessels to leak, which ultimately can cause damage to nearly
all internal organs.

Where do most cases of RMSF occur in the U.S.?

Cases of RMSF have been reported from most areas of the country, and the disease is not restricted to the Rocky Mountain region. In fact, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee account for over 60% of reported cases. In 2008, there were approximately 2,500 cases reported in the U.S., which is more than twice as many cases as were reported annually in the 1990s.

Reported incidence of RMSF per million people in 2008; NN=not reported. SOURCE: CDC.